Potato-digging machine.



w. w. LYNES. POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I I, I918.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

awman m g... E1-

fiifiigu 2 ?EEEHHHHE.55.5%

III:

I II IIIIII a H, i .1

( IPOTATO-DIGGING MACEINE.

neonsar.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29?, 1919.

Application filed June 11, 1918. Serial No. 239,426.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM WELLING- TON LYNES, a subject of, the King of Great y chines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in potato digging machines, and the object of my invention is to provide a machine of simple construction by means of which potatoes may be dug up out of the soil mechanically and in a highly efficient manner.

I attain this object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a side elevation of my machine.

Fig. 2 is a front end view with the front guide and the front of the frame removed.

Fig. 3 is a front end view showing the cylinder guide arrangement.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cylinder.

Fig. 5 is a view, in part section, of the front end cylinder guide.

Similar figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

1 indicates the frame of the machine, which frame serves to carry the drivers seat 2, and the operating mechanism, and to the front end of which a team may be attached for pulling the machine when using it. The frame toward its rear end is supported on wheels 3 and 4, these wheels being rotatable on an axle 5 fixed to the frame, while the front end of the frame is provided with wheels 6 rotatably mounted on arms 7 pivoted to the frame at 8 and swingable to or from the vertical position to raise or lower the front end of the frame by arm 9 and link 10 operated by a hand .lever 11.

circling bands 17 and 18 formed preferably of channel section so that guide channels or grooves 19 are provided in which grooves operate as the basket revolves guide rollers 20 secured to the inner periphery of the respective rings 14 and 15.

The basket 16 is formed preferablv of wires spaced apart, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, each wire extending spirally from one end of the basket to the other, and e11- circling the basket and secured to it at a suitable point is an annular toothed rack 21, adapted to be operatively engaged by a spur. gear 22 secured to a transverse shaft 23 rotatably mounted in bearings 24 and 25 hingedly connected to the frame, as indicated at 26 in Fig. 1, so that they may be raised or lowered to carry the gear 22 out of or into engagement with the rack 21 by means of cooperating levers 27 and 28 actuated when required by a hand lever 29. The teeth of the rack 21 and gear 22 are cut to the required inclination, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, and the shaft 23 to which the gear 22 is secured is provided at each end with gears 30 and 31 meshing respectively with large gears 32 and 33 secured to the inside of the frame wheels 3 and 4.

34 indicates the digging element, which is formed of strong material after the manner of a spade blade and is secured rigidly to the frame between and adjacent the front ends of the parallel members 12 and 13, its length being such that its lower end extends the necessary distance into the ground when the machine is in operation while its upper end extends into the mouth of the basket so that the potatoes will fall thereinto, its sides being turned upwardly at right angles, as indicated at 35 and 36 in Fig. 2.

37, 38, 39 and 40 indicate wires supported within the basket at each quarter of its circumference and spaced apart from the outer wires, each of these Wires being also carried spirally from and parallel to its contiguous outer wire, being provided for the purpose of assisting the travel of the potatoes through the basket from end to end during the operation of the machine, although these wires are not absolutely necessary.

The manner in which the machine operates will be apparent on reference being had to the drawings, particularly to Fig. 1, as it will be seen that, on moving it ahead by means of a team of horses or other motive power, the element 34 will dig the potatoes up and they will travel up the inclined blade, falling over the upper end of the same into the rotating basket, from end to end of which they will be caused to travel by the spiral configuration of its cylindrical wall, the basket being rotated by the mechanism already noticed and which mechanism isactuated by the large gears 32-and 33 on the frame wheels. On reaching the opposite end of the basket the potatoes may be collected in a sack attached thereto and into which they fall, or they maybe collected by any other suitable method.

It will be seen, therefore, that I have devised a potato digging machine which'is simple in construction and action and capable of highly efficient work. As many changes could be made, however, in the construction described in the foregoing, within the scope of the claim, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

In combination a frame comprising side bars, rings supported thereonatfront and ing wheels, a gear on the transverse shaft.

meshing with the rack on the basket, pivot-- ally mounted supporting means for the transverse shaft whereby the said shaft with its gear may be lifted, connections manually operable for movingsaid support, and digging means at the forward end of the basket, substantially as described.

Dated at Kamloops, B. C., this 9th day of May, 1918.

WILLIAM WELLINGTON LYNES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the, "Commissioner of Patenh,

Washington, D. O. 

